Improvement



2 sheets -s'h eet 1.

P. D. E LDERFIELD.

Sewing-Machine.

Patented June 4,1878.,

INVENTOR Q lli iw' W-W- MPEIERS, PHOYO-UTHOGRAPNER WASHINGION. D c.

@UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Ju t

FREDERICK D. ELDERFIELD, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No, 204,429, dated June 4,1878; application filed October 23, 1877.

To all whom it may concern.- its longitudinal reciprocating movement. A

N tion.

Be it known that I, FREDERICK D. ELDER- FIELD, of St. Louis, in thecounty of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sewing-Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains tomake and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform part of this specifica- My inventionrelates to certain improvementsin sewin g-machines; and consists in the parts and combinations ofparts, which will be described in the body of the specification, andthereafter further pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view, in perspective, of mymachine with a portion of its bed-plate broken away. Fig. 2 is a reverseplan or bottom view of the machine. Fig. 3.is a view, in detail, of theunder needle. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a modification of theadjustable catch-piece, which will be referred to hereinafter.

The upper-needle lever A isformed in the same piece, or rigidlyconnected with, the un- ..J der-needle lever B, and the two operatesimultaneously, their common central point of movement being about thepivot (3. To the rear end of the arm D, formed in longitudinal extensionof lever A, is secured the upright connecting-rod E in loose engagement.The lower extremity of this connecting-rod is provided with an annularcollar, fitting over a cam-eccentric on the shaft F, and thus therotating movement of this latter shaft is converted into a verticalvibration of lever A upon its pivoted fulcrum O. G is a band-pulley onthe rear end of shaft F, while on the opposite extremity of said shaftis provided the roitating feeder H. This feeder is formed as a sector ofa wheel or plate-disk whose arc-surface is roughened or serrated, so asto engage with the fabric being stitched.

The tapering eccentric-cam L is formed on the shaft F, so as to engagewith the side of y' tthe free end of the under-needle bar M, and

gives to the latter a reciprocating lateral movement in simultaneousconnection with spring, N, secured to the guide-piece P, serves to throwthe needle-bar laterally over to its former position after its releasefrom the bearin g action of the tapering eccentric-cam L.

In operation as a double-thread-stitch machine, the spool of upperthread is placed on the upper tension-post Q and the thread passedforward through the spring-hook R, thence downward through the clamp Sand into the eye of the needle (1. This clamp S is on the side of theupper-needle lever, and is made as a spring, to bind the thread insuitable tension. It has a right-angular guardprojection, s, on itsupper side to keep the thread in proper place, and the uprightspring-pressure piece 8 serves, by its bearing against the clamp, toautomatically regulate the tension. The lower spool is placed on itstension-post T, so as to run to the left. The thread is passed aroundthe hook b formed on the under-needle lever B, thence through a hole inthe rear end of the supporting edge or rim of the bed-plate. The threadthen passes over the post-hook p on the guide-piece P, backward over theeye-hook m of the under-needle bar, then through the eye of the underneedle. Both upper and under threads are then placed beneath thepresser-foot, the fabric laid thereon, and, the presser-foot beingreleased, so as to bear down upon the fabric, the machine is inoperative condition for making the Grover & Baker double-loop stitch.

When it is desired to change the parts of the machine in order to sew asingle-threadstitch, the adj ustable or sliding catch U is broughtintooperation, and its function is to take the needle-thread loop from offthe under needle, which latter at this time acts as a looper-that is,the machine is used with but the upper thread, while the lower threadremains unused, and, if desired, may be removed from its connectingparts, though this is not necessary. The loop-catch U is moved in itsgrooved guide it in the bottom side of the bed-plate X so that its pointa may be adapted to bear against the side of the under needle during thereturn stroke of the latter.

This loop-catch may be provided with a spring and suitable engagingmechanism, if

desired, in substitution of the longitudinal slot and set-screw, asshown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, to regulate its adjustment forward orbackward in its sliding groove.

The machine is now ready to make a singlethread chain-stitch; and as theupper needle ascends in its return movement the loop of needle-thread iscarried by the under needle or looperover toward the catch U, and iscaught by it during the return movement of the under needle and slid olffrom the latter, and the upper needle in its next descent passes throughthe loop thus formed.

To cause the same under needle to be used in sewing both double andsingle thread stitch, I make the said under needle in the form shown indetail in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Its side is provided with the upperlongitudinal groove 11*, having open ends at both extremities, and thusbeing adapted to allow the point of the loop-catch to pass therein insewing the single-thread stitch, and to readily remove the needle-threadloop from off the under needle.

The machine thus made uses two straight eye-pointed needles, which, whenboth are threaded, sews the Grover a Baker doubleloop stitch, while,when the upper or vertical needle alone is threaded and the loop-catchUis moved forward from out its sliding groove, a single-thrcad stitch ismade, as described.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with the adjustable sliding loop-catch U, formedwith the sharp point u, of the under needle 111, having the longitudinalgroove 11' formed on its upper side body and made with open ends,substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with spring-clamp S,

formed longitudinally on lever A, of the curved upright spring-pressurepiece 8, the latter being adapted to bear against the clamp, and thusbind the thread intermittently during both the upward and downwardstrokes of said needle-bar lever, substantially as set forth.

3. The spring-clamp S, formed in same piece with the longitudinal sidebody of the lever of the upper-needle bar, and provided with the upperright-angular projection s, in combination with the upright springpressure piece 8, the latter adapted to bear against said clamp andcause it to bind the thread intermittently during both the upward anddownward movement of the needle, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with spring-clamp S, formed in single piecelongitudinally on the side body of lever A, of the spring-pressure piece8, the latter curved in its vertical body, as shown, and adapted to bearintermittently against the same side of said clamp during both theupward and downward strokes of said lever, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with shaft F, provided with the taperingeccentric-cam L, of the under-needle bar M, together with mechanism foractuating the same, the longitudinal spring N, and the plate P, saidplate and under-needle bar being formed, respectively, with the post pand hook m, which are adapted to engage the thread of the under needle,substantiall y as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this10th day of October, 1877.

FREDERICK D. ELDERFIELD.

\Vitnesses:

WM. E. LENCK, CHAs. H. ADAMS.

